N. K. Boswell
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Kimball Boswell, aka N. K. Boswell (1836–1921) was a frontiersman, rancher, cowboy
and lawman
of the Old West, best known for building the N. K. Boswell Ranch, considered a historical location of Wyoming
today. He also helped to settle Laramie, Wyoming
.
around 1865 towards the end of the American Civil War
. He is believed to have served in the Union Army
, but it is not certain as to from which state he originated, although it is believed he may have came from New Jersey
. Boswell arrived in the area of present day Laramie, Wyoming, as one of its first settlers. He was joined there by his brother George Boswell and his family. At the time, that area was extremely rough and wild, with numerous outlaw
s drawn to it due to the lack of law enforcement. Three of those would be early western gunman "Big" Steve Long
, and his half brothers Ace and Con Moyer. Long would become the Marshal
of Laramie, whereas Boswell would be the first Sheriff
of Albany County, Wyoming, where Laramie is located. Almost immediately the two lawmen were at odds.
Boswell was an original member of the local "Vigilence Committee", organized to help bring order to the lawless area. Long and his brothers, however, opened a saloon called the Bucket of Blood, and began strong arming settlers into signing away their property. If they refused, they were more times than not killed. At times, Long would goad them into a fight and shoot them down, at others they were merely killed under mysterious circumstances. In June 1868, Melville C. Brown was elected mayor
, but he soon resigned having received threats from Long and his brothers. By October 1868, Long had killed thirteen men in gunfights. Several others were suspected to have been killed by him, but only those thirteen are confirmed to have died from his hand.
Boswell organized the citizens, and suggested they wait, and eventually Long will put himself in a position to where they could act against him. On October 18, 1868, Long attempted to rob a prospector named Rollie "Hard Luck" Harrison. Harrison produced a pistol, and a gunfight erupted between the two. Long was wounded and retreated. Harrison was killed, dying as a result of his wounds before he was able to relay who shot him to anyone else.
Long confessed to his fiance how he was wounded, and she in turn told Sheriff Boswell. Boswell organized several men in the town, and they entered the saloon owned by Long and his brothers on October 28. The mob overwhelmed the three and led them to an unfinished cabin in town. Long was quiet throughout the process, having only one request, that he be allowed to remove his boots, stating "My mother always said I'd die with my boots on". Barefoot, he was lynched along with Con and Ace Moyer by hanging them from the rafters of the cabin. There were no legal actions taken against the members of the lynch mob.
. He formed a "Vigilence Committee" there in 1872, but was arrested for doing so. Believing he stood no chance if brought to trial, he escaped, and was shot and killed while doing so. Boswell, however, continued to be a prominent figure in Wyoming. In 1872, Boswell served as the first warden of the Wyoming Territorial Prison. He died of unknown causes in 1904. His ranch in Wyoming is now listed on the National Register of Historical Places.
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
and lawman
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
of the Old West, best known for building the N. K. Boswell Ranch, considered a historical location of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
today. He also helped to settle Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 30,816 at the . Located on the Laramie River in southeastern Wyoming, the city is west of Cheyenne, at the junction of Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 287....
.
Impact on Laramie, Wyoming, Steve Long lynching
Boswell ventured into Wyoming TerritoryWyoming Territory
The Territory of Wyoming was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 25, 1868, until July 10, 1890, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Wyoming. Cheyenne was the territorial capital...
around 1865 towards the end of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He is believed to have served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, but it is not certain as to from which state he originated, although it is believed he may have came from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Boswell arrived in the area of present day Laramie, Wyoming, as one of its first settlers. He was joined there by his brother George Boswell and his family. At the time, that area was extremely rough and wild, with numerous outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s drawn to it due to the lack of law enforcement. Three of those would be early western gunman "Big" Steve Long
Steve Long
"Big" Steve Long was a western lawman, outlaw, and one of the earliest examples of an Old West gunman, achieving his fame in the Wyoming Territory during the late 1860s.-Early life:...
, and his half brothers Ace and Con Moyer. Long would become the Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
of Laramie, whereas Boswell would be the first Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Albany County, Wyoming, where Laramie is located. Almost immediately the two lawmen were at odds.
Boswell was an original member of the local "Vigilence Committee", organized to help bring order to the lawless area. Long and his brothers, however, opened a saloon called the Bucket of Blood, and began strong arming settlers into signing away their property. If they refused, they were more times than not killed. At times, Long would goad them into a fight and shoot them down, at others they were merely killed under mysterious circumstances. In June 1868, Melville C. Brown was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, but he soon resigned having received threats from Long and his brothers. By October 1868, Long had killed thirteen men in gunfights. Several others were suspected to have been killed by him, but only those thirteen are confirmed to have died from his hand.
Boswell organized the citizens, and suggested they wait, and eventually Long will put himself in a position to where they could act against him. On October 18, 1868, Long attempted to rob a prospector named Rollie "Hard Luck" Harrison. Harrison produced a pistol, and a gunfight erupted between the two. Long was wounded and retreated. Harrison was killed, dying as a result of his wounds before he was able to relay who shot him to anyone else.
Long confessed to his fiance how he was wounded, and she in turn told Sheriff Boswell. Boswell organized several men in the town, and they entered the saloon owned by Long and his brothers on October 28. The mob overwhelmed the three and led them to an unfinished cabin in town. Long was quiet throughout the process, having only one request, that he be allowed to remove his boots, stating "My mother always said I'd die with my boots on". Barefoot, he was lynched along with Con and Ace Moyer by hanging them from the rafters of the cabin. There were no legal actions taken against the members of the lynch mob.
Later life
By this time, Boswell's ranch had become one of the largest and most productive in the territory. One of his fellow lynching vigilantes, L. P. Griswold, moved to Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. He formed a "Vigilence Committee" there in 1872, but was arrested for doing so. Believing he stood no chance if brought to trial, he escaped, and was shot and killed while doing so. Boswell, however, continued to be a prominent figure in Wyoming. In 1872, Boswell served as the first warden of the Wyoming Territorial Prison. He died of unknown causes in 1904. His ranch in Wyoming is now listed on the National Register of Historical Places.